Washington Nationals call up CJ Stubbs

CJ Stubbs has officially earned his call-up to the big leagues and will now carry on the family tradition behind the plate. He becomes the second member of the Stubbs family to reach the majors as a catcher, following in the footsteps of his older brother, Garrett Stubbs, who served as backup to All-Star J.T. Realmuto for several seasons. CJ opened this year with the Harrisburg Senators after spending part of last year with the Rochester Red Wings, where he appeared in 7 games, batting .273 with a strong .500 on-base percentage.

At 6’3”, Stubbs brings size, presence, and defensive excellence to the position. His glove work has been a standout feature this year with Rochester, where he has gunned down 42% of attempted base stealers. Beyond his throwing arm, he’s known for his steady work behind the plate—blocking pitches in the dirt and keeping would-be runners cautious.

His fielding percentage sits at .995, showing how reliable he is defensively. One of his signature moments came against first-place Scranton, when Spencer Jones—who had already hit three homers in the game—came up as the tying run with two outs. Jones launched a high pop-up toward the visitor’s dugout, and Stubbs sprinted over, hauling it in while tumbling into the dugout for the third out. The Rochester crowd erupted, giving him a well-deserved ovation for what many considered one of the team’s top defensive highlights of the season.

At the plate, Stubbs has had a slower start this year, carrying a .161 batting average but still managing a .312 on-base percentage thanks to his patience and ability to work counts. He notched his first home run of the season last Friday and continues to showcase a disciplined eye, often extending at-bats and forcing pitchers to grind.

In Washington, Stubbs will pair well with Riley Adams, providing valuable depth and giving Adams important days of rest. His defense-first skill set makes him an asset, offering the Nationals a catcher who can shut down the running game and stabilize things behind the plate.